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A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon

A Family Apart

Joan Lowery Nixon

Random House Children's Books · Print & ebook · December 18, 1995

A Historical Fiction pick for readers exploring A Family Apart.

YA Survival Stories19th-Century US YAYA Orphan & Foster Storiesseries
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teenshistoricalfamilyadventure
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Who it’s for
A historical adventure shaped by family separation, sibling loyalty, and hard choices.
Themes
Family separation, Sibling loyalty, Protective courage
Genres
19th-Century US YA, YA Orphan & Foster Stories, YA Survival Stories

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For younger readers: Almost Home, Orphan Trains, Moon Over Manifest

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About this book

The middle-grade answer to Christina Baker Kline's New York Times bestselling Orphan Train, this is a shockingly timely historical adventure. Imagine being taken from your home. Imagine your mother is the one who lets it happen. This is the fate that befalls the Kelly children. It’s 1856, and their widowed mother has sent them west from New York City because she’s convinced that she can’t give them the life they deserve.

Continue reading

The Kellys board an “orphan train” and are taken to St. Joseph, Missouri, where their problems only grow worse. It was bad enough that they had to say goodbye to their mother, but now they’re forced to part ways with their fellow siblings as well. Thirteen-year-old Frances won’t stand for it. She’s going to protect her brothers and sisters, even if it means dressing up like a boy and putting herself in danger. Will Frances be able to save her siblings? And what about her mom—was splitting up their family really her greatest act of love? Ride the rails with Frances and her siblings to find out! “This is as close to a perfect book as you’ll buy this year.” –VOYA

Family Under Strain

A historical adventure shaped by family separation, sibling loyalty, and hard choices.

Come here for

  • A determined thirteen-year-old fighting to keep her siblings together
  • The complicated question of whether separation can be an act of love

Expect

  • A story of family bonds tested on an 1856 journey west
  • Danger and disguise as Frances tries to protect her siblings

Where it sits

YA Orphan & Foster Stories90%
19th-Century US YA50%
YA Survival Stories44%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Survival Stories
  • YA Orphan & Foster Stories
  • 19th-Century US YA
Authors
Joan Lowery Nixon
Publisher
Random House Children's Books
Published
December 18, 1995
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Family separation · Sibling loyalty · Protective courage
Reading lane
YA Survival Stories